Tuesday, November 17, 2020
Address of President Xhaferi at the Training for the Standing Inquiry Committee for Protection of Civil Freedoms and Rights
Dear Regional Director of IRI for Europe, Mr. Paul McCarthy,
Dear Derek Luyten, Executive Director of the House Democracy Partnership,
Dear former Congressman, Mr. Peter Roskam,
Dear Chairman of the Standing Inquiry Committee in the Assembly of the Republic of North Macedonia, Mr. Halil Snopce and other MPs - Members of this Committee,
Dear experts and other representatives,
Good day to all of you who have joined this platform today and are part of this first of three trainings that will be carried out in this now usual and necessary way of maintaining communication between us, imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic.
First, I would like to welcome this initiative of the International Republican Institute and the House Democracy Partnership of the US Congress and reaffirm that it comes at the most appropriate time for the Assembly of the Republic of North Macedonia.
As you are aware, we already have a new parliamentary composition, and new members of the Standing Inquiry Committee, who need to get acquainted with the crucial role of the Committee in several areas of exceptional importance for the democratic growth and development of our country, with a single starting point – the system of protection of human rights and freedoms, whereas the MPs, as direct representatives of the citizens from whom they received the trust, have a mandate that enables direct oversight and monitoring of that situation.
In addition, the Committee is extremely important in terms of the country's European integration processes, specifically in regard with fulfilling one of the postulates on which the Union is based, namely the protection of human rights and freedoms. The Legislature, through its way of working and functioning, can reach and bring the issues processed by the Standing Inquiry Committee closer to the other MPs, and in the most direct way to the citizens as well, using all available means of communication to contribute to raising awareness about the importance of protecting human rights and freedoms.
I must mention that the previous composition of the Committee had a rather tight agenda and activities, both within the legislature and on-the-ground. It held 15 meetings and public debates, and a panel discussion, the main focus being on the judgments of the European Court of Human Rights, the review of the European Commission Report from the aspect of human rights, and it even began to review complaints from citizens. As a result of these activities and the public debate, the on-the-ground activity emerged, that is, visits to the penitentiary institutions by the Working Group which, in addition to the members of the Standing Inquiry Committee, included representatives of the NGO sector, the Helsinki Committee and a former judge of the European Court of Human Rights. Moreover, the cooperation with the Ombudsman was constant and essential. The purpose of this group was to better understand the conditions of these institutions and the challenges they face, in order to foresee future measures that can be taken. Pursuant to Article 127 paragraph 3 of the Rules of Procedure of the Assembly of the Republic of Macedonia, the Working Group prepared a Report on the visits and adopted Conclusions that were shared with all stakeholders and published on the website of the Assembly. They state that, I quote:
"The Standing Inquiry Committee for Protection of Civil Freedoms and Rights will continue to monitor the situation in the penitentiary institutions and through regular contacts and meetings every three months, will be informed about what has been undertaken and implemented from these conclusions. It will also make contact with institutions, the Directorate for the Execution of Sanctions, the ministries and all concerned stakeholders responsible for improving the situation of these institutions, and will organize a follow-up debate to monitor the implementation of the conclusions, in this and/or in the next term." end of quote.
Dear Colleagues,
This is the next term, and I wish the new composition of the Committee justifies the trust entrusted to it by the citizens. In addition to that trust, I will share with you the latest information about the body that is of immense importance for preventing violations of human rights and freedoms – the Commission for Protection against Discrimination. Namely, after several attempts which for various reasons failed, the Draft Decision on appointing members of the Commission for Prevention and Protection against Discrimination is in parliamentary procedure, and I hope that the conditions will allow us to gather in sufficient numbers and vote, so that it can become functional at the earliest and give its contribution in building a non-discriminatory society.
From the international activities, the most important success of the Committee is certainly the establishment of the Regional Network of Committees for Human Rights and Equal Opportunities in the Western Balkans and the Post-Legislative Oversight Project. In this context, the support that the Committee and the legislature as a whole receive through the Democracy Partnership programs of the US Congress is of immense assistance. This cooperation was established in 2006 with the aim of strengthening the independence and effectiveness of the Assembly, enhancing constituency relations and improving civic engagement in the Assembly, advancing the work of parliamentary services and enabling peer-to-peer exchange programs for MPs through study visits, technical assistance consultancies and implementation of numerous trainings.
Finally, let me express my gratitude to the House Democracy Partnership of the US Congress and the International Republican Institute for their sustained and continued support for the advancement of the democratic process in our country and to wish you success, with this and the next two trainings, in identifying possible areas for future support and the next steps and initiatives that the Committee can take, for which I assure you that you will have my unreserved support.
Thank you for your attention!